better than lasagna… / Sam Lloyd :^)

4.19.2024 - 5.6.2024

01 - Exhibition Statement

After a long night of hot and kinky sex, round after round, it finally came to one last conclusion for Garfield. Him and his partner cleaned up and headed to the kitchen for a late-night snack after their escapades. Garfield opened the door to the fridge, cold air hitting his fur, sending chills down his spine, making his tail stiff up a little. With the fridge light bathing him in a warm glow, his eyes wandered until they landed on the exact thing he craved. He gasped softly, “Oh my...what do we have here?” Smirking, Garfield grabbed the object from the middle shelf of the fridge and spun around, closing the fridge door behind him with his paw. He looked into his partners eyes and his partner looked back at him. The realization came to his partner’s face, (just like he did 20 minutes ago). Garfield sets the object down carefully on the table in front of them, peeling back the tinfoil covering the sacred dish. They lick their lips in anticipation, salivating, ready to dig into the homemade lasagna. Looking to his partner, Garfield says, “I don’t think I hate Mondays anymore,” with a smug smile and a wink.

02 - Artist Statement

Sam’s work as a queer and trans artist originates from a largely conservative city, where he aims to challenge societal norms and explore the relationships between object, process, concept, and context. Through humour and a solitary artistic approach, he reflects on his personal history and cultural identity to create artwork that communicates his experiences and perspectives. At the core of his artistic practice are his Garfield paintings, where he depicts the iconic cartoon character in sexual ways or explores his sexuality in a queer context through the use of text, bright colours, and provocative poses. The inclusion of sculptural elements, particularly in the form of phallic imagery, serves as a blunt confrontation and a rejection of conservative artistic norms. It is important to note that Sam’s work is not about a cisgender man making genitals, but rather a trans man creating a trans dick, reclaiming control over his sexual and gender identity.